System and method for observing anode fluid composition during fuel cell start-up

Abstract

A fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold, a first valve in fluid communication with at least one of the anode supply manifold and the anode exhaust manifold, wherein the first valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid flow and an outlet for exhausting a fluid, a sensor for measuring at least a fluid pressure at the inlet and the outlet of the first valve, wherein the sensor generates a sensor signal representing the pressure measurement, and a processor for receiving the sensor signal, analyzing the sensor signal, and determining a composition of a fluid in the fuel cell system based upon the analysis of the sensor signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel cell system comprising:
 a fuel cell stack having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold; 
 a first valve disposed at the first end of the fuel cell stack, the first valve in direct fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, wherein the first valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid from the anode supply manifold and an outlet for exhausting a fluid from the anode supply manifold; 
 an anode inlet conduit disposed at the second end of the fuel cell stack, the anode inlet conduit providing fluid communication between the anode supply manifold and a source of hydrogen, wherein the first valve is spaced from the anode inlet conduit; 
 a first sensor for measuring a first fluid pressure at the inlet of the first valve and a second sensor for measuring a second fluid pressure at the outlet of the first valve, wherein the first sensor generates a first sensor signal representing the first pressure measurement and the second sensor generates a second sensor signal representing the second pressure measurement; and 
 a processor for receiving the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, analyzing the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, and determining a composition of a fluid in the fuel cell system based upon the analysis of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an anode exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold. 
     
     
       3. The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a jet pump in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, an injector in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, and a recycle loop in fluid communication with at least one of the anode exhaust manifold and the anode supply manifold. 
     
     
       4. The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second valve in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold, wherein the second valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid flow and an outlet for exhausting a fluid. 
     
     
       5. The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor includes at least one of a storage device and a programmable component. 
     
     
       6. The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis performed by the processor is based upon an instruction set including processor executable instructions based upon the ideal gas law and a k v  orifice model to determine the composition of a fluid in the fuel cell system. 
     
     
       7. A fuel cell system comprising:
 a fuel cell stack having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold; 
 a first valve disposed at the first end of the fuel cell stack, the first valve in direct fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, wherein the first valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid flow from the anode supply manifold and an outlet for exhausting a fluid from the anode supply manifold; 
 an anode inlet conduit disposed at the second end of the fuel cell stack, the anode inlet conduit providing fluid communication between the anode supply manifold and a source of hydrogen, wherein the first valve is spaced from the anode inlet conduit; 
 a second valve in fluid communication with at least one of the anode exhaust manifold and the recycle loop, wherein the second valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid and an outlet for exhausting a fluid; 
 a first sensor for measuring a first fluid pressure at the inlet of the first valve, a second sensor for measuring a second fluid pressure at the outlet of the first valve, a third sensor for measuring a third fluid pressure at the inlet of the second valve, and a fourth sensor for measuring a fourth fluid pressure at the outlet of the second valve, wherein the first sensor generates a first sensor signal representing the first pressure measurement, the second sensor generates a second sensor signal representing the second pressure measurement, the third sensor generates a third sensor signal representing the third pressure measurement, and the fourth sensor generates a fourth sensor signal representing the fourth pressure measurement; and 
 a processor for receiving the first sensor signal, the second sensor signal, the third sensor signal, and the fourth sensor signal, analyzing the first sensor signal, the second sensor signal, the third sensor signal, and the fourth sensor signal, and determining a composition of a fluid in the fuel cell system based upon the analysis of the first sensor signal, the second sensor signal, the third sensor signal, and the fourth sensor signal. 
 
     
     
       8. The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 , further comprising in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold. 
     
     
       9. The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one of a jet pump in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, an injector in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, and a recycle loop in fluid communication with at least one of the anode exhaust manifold and the anode supply manifold. 
     
     
       10. The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 , wherein the second valve is disposed at a second end of the fuel cell stack. 
     
     
       11. The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of an absolute pressure and a delta pressure. 
     
     
       12. The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 , wherein the analysis performed by the processor is based upon an instruction set including processor executable instructions based upon the ideal gas law and a k v  orifice model to determine the composition of a fluid in the fuel cell system. 
     
     
       13. A method for determining a composition of a fluid in a fuel cell system, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a fuel cell stack having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold; 
 providing a first valve disposed at the first end of the fuel cell stack, the first valve in direct fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, wherein the first valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid from the anode supply manifold and an outlet for exhausting a fluid from the anode supply manifold; 
 providing an anode inlet conduit disposed at the second end of the fuel cell stack, the anode inlet conduit providing fluid communication between the anode supply manifold and a source of hydrogen, wherein the first valve is spaced from the anode inlet conduit; 
 measuring a fluid pressure at the inlet and the outlet of the first valve; and 
 determining a composition of a fluid within the first valve based upon the measurements of the fluid pressure. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of providing an anode exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of providing at least one of a jet pump in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, an injector in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, and a recycle loop in fluid communication with at least one of the anode supply manifold and the anode exhaust manifold. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second valve in fluid communication with at least one of the anode supply manifold and the anode exhaust manifold, wherein the second valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid flow and an outlet for exhausting a fluid; 
 measuring a fluid pressure at the inlet and the outlet of the second valve; 
 determining a composition of a fluid within the second valve based upon the measurements of the fluid pressure. 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the fluid pressure at the inlet and the outlet of each of the first valve and the second valve is measured by at least one fluid pressure sensor. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition of the fluid is determined by a processor having an instruction set including processor executable instructions based upon the ideal gas law and a k v  orifice model.